Odysseus is an undisputed hero. He is the exemplar of the Grecian epic hero, with courage, cunning, and military prowess. Thus, logically, the woman who is tasked with being his equal until death do they part, must be able to match his prowess. Penelope, Odysseus’ other half, withstands these impossible expectations. Her strength is based in her cunning, unlike most women depicted. She was smart in her realm, and in her duties. She was strategic and purposeful with all of her actions, just as Odysseus was. However, not only was she smart, she is arguably as smart as Odysseus, in her trickery and strategy when it comes to her situation. Penelope shows her cunning in her actions towards the suitors, and her actions in regards to Odysseus’ homecoming,
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Just as she has for the past twenty years, “Climbing up to the lofty chamber with her women, / [Penelope] fell to weeping for Odysseus, her beloved husband” (p. 89). After all this time, she still spends her days crying over Odysseus. While this could be a hyperbolic expression of emotion used by Homer to portray her grief, it can be argued that her grief is not genuine. It is possible that Penelope cries day in and day out to prolong her widow status. She is cunning, and thus, knows that if she continues to grieve for her husband, she cannot be forced to marry another. This disingenuous emotion allows her to bide her time and provides her with another excuse to not give into the suitors’ requests. If Penelope were to stop crying for Odysseus, the suitors would interpret this as a readiness to move on and remarry. It is probable that they would use this excuse to force her and Telemachus’ hand in choosing a suitor among them. Her cunning strategy to put off the suitors is also shown as she explains her actions to Odysseus in disguise She describes her plan by saying, “so by day I’d weave …show more content…
She does not simply accept her nurse’s words as fact. She goes into the situation on her guard, as any smart woman would. Her skepticism about if it really is Odysseus stems from her intelligence. Just as he would, she goes into the situation wary of any trickery that could be waiting for her, if this really is not her husband. Penelope uses this cunning when she tests him. Odysseus describes her skepticism by asking, “what other wife would have a spirit so unbending” (p. 461)? In this question, Odysseus shows how highly he thinks of his wife. He knows that no other wife would have the intelligence to question his homecoming. He recognizes, in this question, that Penelope is, in fact, the intellectual match for him, she is unique in her power of denying her feelings for the good of the situation. Penelope must deny Odysseus at first because she knows better than to accept such a gift as his return. He has proven himself so easily to the other servants, with scars or mannerisms. However, Penelope is smarter. Penelope reasons that the gods could plausibly recreate a scar or a mannerism. However, the Gods could not possibly know what only she and Odysseus know. She tests him intellectually, with his memory, instead of with any physical sign and he accepts this. This is his recognition of her intelligence, knowing that it will take more for her to believe that it is truly him. So, when she tests him with the moving of the
Just as she has for the past twenty years, “Climbing up to the lofty chamber with her women, / [Penelope] fell to weeping for Odysseus, her beloved husband” (p. 89). After all this time, she still spends her days crying over Odysseus. While this could be a hyperbolic expression of emotion used by Homer to portray her grief, it can be argued that her grief is not genuine. It is possible that Penelope cries day in and day out to prolong her widow status. She is cunning, and thus, knows that if she continues to grieve for her husband, she cannot be forced to marry another. This disingenuous emotion allows her to bide her time and provides her with another excuse to not give into the suitors’ requests. If Penelope were to stop crying for Odysseus, the suitors would interpret this as a readiness to move on and remarry. It is probable that they would use this excuse to force her and Telemachus’ hand in choosing a suitor among them. Her cunning strategy to put off the suitors is also shown as she explains her actions to Odysseus in disguise She describes her plan by saying, “so by day I’d weave …show more content…
She does not simply accept her nurse’s words as fact. She goes into the situation on her guard, as any smart woman would. Her skepticism about if it really is Odysseus stems from her intelligence. Just as he would, she goes into the situation wary of any trickery that could be waiting for her, if this really is not her husband. Penelope uses this cunning when she tests him. Odysseus describes her skepticism by asking, “what other wife would have a spirit so unbending” (p. 461)? In this question, Odysseus shows how highly he thinks of his wife. He knows that no other wife would have the intelligence to question his homecoming. He recognizes, in this question, that Penelope is, in fact, the intellectual match for him, she is unique in her power of denying her feelings for the good of the situation. Penelope must deny Odysseus at first because she knows better than to accept such a gift as his return. He has proven himself so easily to the other servants, with scars or mannerisms. However, Penelope is smarter. Penelope reasons that the gods could plausibly recreate a scar or a mannerism. However, the Gods could not possibly know what only she and Odysseus know. She tests him intellectually, with his memory, instead of with any physical sign and he accepts this. This is his recognition of her intelligence, knowing that it will take more for her to believe that it is truly him. So, when she tests him with the moving of the